The Irony of Loving God The Christian church has experienced numerous schisms in its time in society. In 1512, the Reformation began in Wittenberg, Germany, and the course of Christian belief would change forever. Out of the Reformation came numerous divisions of the Christian Church, the largest being the original Roman Catholic, followed by a new denomination, Lutheran. These two denominations endured numerous conflicts between them, some resulting in wars, ironically, the Christian church focuses on the topic from the Book of Matthew in the Christian Bible:
And he said to them ‘you shall love the lord your god with all your heart, and with all your soul, and all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend on all the law and the prophets.’ (23.37-40)
These two denominations of the Christian faith have differing stances in the areas of salvation, traditions, scripture interpretation, and celibacy; however, these differences are not as prominent as the important similarity of both denominations: the focus of loving one another. Ironically, when examining both denominations, it is clear the denominations should unite not conflict. The Roman Catholic Church follows seven sacraments to achieve salvation: Marriage,
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The Lutheran Church does not follow the same practices, and is not as well-constructed in nature. They are both violent in nature in defending their practices, which has resulted in conflicts such as the Thirty Years’ War and other religious wars. The irony of the matter lies in the passage, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord” (Lev. 19.18), which both denominations regularly teach